Craig Smith, of Victoria Road in Northwich, was driving a Ford Fiesta XR2 along Hodge Lane when the accident happened just after midnight on Thursday.

There were three other passengers in the car.

One of them, 18-year-old Giles Smith, of Badger's Set in Delamere Park, suffered a broken right elbow and left leg and facial injuries. Staff at Leighton Hospital described his condition as comfortable yesterday.

The two other men suffered minor injuries.

Leading firefighter Eric Davies said: "This was a very sad incident.

"The four were on a night out. They came down Beach Road and turned left onto Hodge Lane, lost control of the car and crashed into a concrete post on the right side of the road. The car then spun into a concrete wall on the left side so it faced back towards the way it had come from.

"There was no way of getting the two who were badly injured out without cutting the roof of the car off.

"Craig was alive at the scene but he was in a very bad way with severe chest, head and facial injuries, internal bleeding and a broken right arm."

There were no other cars involved in the accident but police are appealing for witnesses to the accident - anyone with information should contact Northwich police on 01606 48000.

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